FAIRFAX, Va. -

Sheehy Auto Stores are gearing up to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. And the dealer group focused in the mid-Atlantic region will be recognizing its golden milestone over the course of 2016.

The company was founded back in 1966 by Vince Sheehy Sr. with the opening of Sheehy Ford, a small dealership in the Washington, D.C., area.

Today, Sheehy Auto Stores is the 37th largest dealer group in nation with 23 stores. The dealer group is still family owned and has grown to more than $1 billion in sales with 35,000 new and used vehicles sold each year.

Through its growth, the company now operates stores in and around Baltimore, Annapolis, Md., Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Va.

"We are very proud of the steady growth we have achieved over the years," said Vince Sheehy, President of Sheehy Auto Stores. "I credit our success to our dedicated employees and our customers who have come to trust us over many years.

The dealer group currently employs more than 1,800 full and part-time employees and has always believed in promoting from within, the company shared. And  some Sheehy employees have been with the company for 40 years or more.

The core values and founding principles of Sheehy Auto Stores has been two-fold and has remained central to the company's success throughout its 50 years in business. A strong commitment to customer service, combined with the importance to supporting the local communities the company serves have helped drive growth.

The company’s approach has won their stores some of the top awards in the industry. For example, each Sheehy Ford store is Blue Oval Certified, and Sheehy's Glen Burnie and Manassas Nissan stores have earned Nissan's Owner First Award for their achievements in customer satisfaction.  In addition, Sheehy's Honda store is a past President's award winner, to highlight a few of the company’s accolades.

The dealerships also work to support their respective communities. Each year, the company donates more than $100,000 to a select charity as part of the company's 50-day sales campaign. 

Over the past few years, the dealer group has supported the American Heart Association, as well as events and participation of employees to help raise awareness of the charity's mission. Past recipients included the Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for the Cure. 

The company also donates more than $125,000 each year, split among various local charities, as part of their annual end of year Giving Campaign.

Those interested should check out www.sheehy.com through the year for updates and 50th anniversary happenings throughout the dealerships.